Sprinkler head assembly



Nov. 28, 1950 A. c. ROWLEY SPRINKLER HEAD ASSEMBLY Filed Nov. 18, 1949Patented Nov. 28, 1950 SPRINKLER HEAD ASSEMBLY Arthur C. Rowley, DrexelHill, Pa., assignor to Globe Automatic Sprinkler Company, Philadelphia,Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application November 18, 1949, SerialNo. 128,073

5 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in automatic sprinklerinstallations and a principal object of the invention is to provide amounting for existing sprinkler heads which will tend to render theheads less obtrusive.

More specifically stated, a primary object of the invention is toprovide simple and effective means in the form of a novel adaptorfitting for in-setting the sprinkler heads in the ceiling so that theywill project below the latter tothe minimum ex tent consistent withtheir function.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to theattached drawings, wherein;

Figs. 1 and 2, are respectively, top and bottom perspective views of asprinkler head assembly made in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational and partial sectional View of a sprinklerhead installed in accordance with the principle of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of one of the elements of the assembly;

Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of another of the elements of theassembly with a portion thereof broken away;

Figs. 6 and 7 are inverted perspective views of another of the elementsof the assembly showing the upper and undersides of the elementrespectively, and;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the upper end of thesprinkler frame.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing in greaterdetail a portion of the structure of Fig. 3.

With reference to the drawings, the assembly forming the subject of thepresent invention comprises a sprinkler frame I of conventional type,this frame comprising an upper hollow body member 2 (see Fig. 8) havinga through passage 3 and the usual threaded extension 4 by means of whichthe frame is mounted in the sprinkler pipe system. Attached to andextendin from the body member 2 are two arms 5 and 6 which meet at theirlower ends, as shown in Fig. 3, to form a solid juncture 1 having athreaded aperture for reception of the upper threaded end 8 of aspreader 9 of conventional form. At its underside, the body member 2 hasa nozzle extension II for the bore 3, and the lower end of the nozzle isnormally sealed by a closure disc l2 which seats on the lower end of thenozzle as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and which is normallv held to its seatby means of a linkage assembly l3 including a heat responsive releaseelement 14. The necessary tension required to hold the closure disc 12in place against the pressure within the pipe system is effected bymeans of the screw 8, between the upper end of which and the disc I2,the linkage assembly 13 is confined. Insofar as described, the sprinklerhead is conventional.

In the present instance, a discharge pipe of the sprinkler system isindicated by the reference numeral 15. To this pipe is threaded areducing fitting l5, and into the lower end of this fitting is threadedthe stem 4 of the sprinkler frame as shown in Fig. 3. A ceilingstructure I'l conceals the pipe l5 and is provided with an opening [8through which the sprinkler head projects downwardly into the room spacebelow the ceiling.

In accordance with the present invention, an adaptor fitting 2| isprovided at the upper end of the sprinkler head, said fitting beingsupported on the sprinkler frame. The fitting is in the form, in thepresent instance, of a disc having a socket 22 shaped to receive and toneatly embrace the upper end of the sprinkler frame. To this end, thesocket 22 is generally rectangular in form for reception of therectangular body portion 2. of the frame, and at opposite sides of therectangular socket the side walls are recessed, as indicated at 23, forreception of the upper ends or shoulder portions of the depending arms 5and 6. Thus the upper end of the sprinkler frame fits neatly within andeffectively closes the socket opening 22 and at the same time forms astable seat for ,the fitting 2| upon which the fitting is supported infixed position, it being noted that the form of the socket and of themating upper portion. of the sprinkler frame precludes relativerotational movements of these parts about the axis of the bore 3. Asshown in Figs. 1, 2, 6 and '7, the fitting 2! has an upper radial flange2 in which are provided recesses 25 for engagement with a suitablewrench, and the cylindrical lower portion 26 of the member may beexternally threaded as indicated at 21.

In assembly, as previously set forth, the sprinkler head is threadedinto the fitting l6 and is thereby secured in the sprinkler system.Attachment of the head to the fitting I 6 may be effected from below theceiling I! by means of a suitable wrench engaged with the notches 25 ofthe flange 24 of the member 2|. In order to facilitate this operation,the member 2| is anchored to the frame of the sprinkler head by a springretainer 28, best shown in Fig. 4, this member being engaged below thelowermost thread of the stem 4 of the frame and behind an annularshoulder on the member 2| as indicated at 29 in Fig. 3, the outerperipheral portion of the retainer seating resiliently in an annularrecess 3| in the upper surface of the said member. As shown in Fig. 4,the retainer 28 is open at one side, as indicated at 32, so that thiselement may be slipped laterally into the operative position describedabove.

With the sprinkler head thus installed in the pipe system and projectingdownwardly through the opening l8. to a minimum extent consistent withthe proper distribution of the water by the spreader 9, the member 2|will lie approximately at the level of the ceiling H, as illustrated inFig. 3. It will be apparent that the dished form of the underface 33 ofthe member 21 aids in, minimizing the extent to which the sprinklerheadextends below the ceiling level and also affords a desirableornamental appearance.

In order to close the space between the sides of the member 2i and thewall of the ceiling opening l8 and to afford a desirably finishedappearance, an annular plate 34, as best shown in Fig. 5, is provided,this member having a flange 35 which closely embraces the dependingcylindrical portion, 26 of the member 2i and which has small pressed inbosses 36 adapted to resiliently interlock with the threads 2'1, asshown in Fig. 9, to hold the plate 3B in the position in which it isshown in Fig. 3. This holding means is such, however, as to render theplate as readily di-splaoeable by any substantial pressure from above,which precludes possibility of the weight of the ceiling structure llbeing imposed upon the sprinkler head, and, through the head, upon thepipe system.

I claim:

1, Ina sprinkler head assembly, a frame comprising a hollow body memberforming a discharge, nozzle, means at one end of said nozzle forconnecting the frame, in a sprinkler system, a closure for the other endof said nozzle, and thermally responsive retaining means for saidclosure including a support structure extending from the body memberoutwardly beyond the end of the nozzle, and a fitting formed with arecessed socket shaped to conform with and to receive the intermediateportion of the body member between the ends of the nozzle, said fittingbeing detachably supported on and embracing the body member andextending transversely from the latter to form a shield for saidconnecting means.

2. In a sprinkler head assembly, a frame comprising a hollow body memberforming a discharge nozzle, said member being threaded at one end toafford a means for connecting the frame in a sprinkler system, a closurefor the other end of said nozzle, and thermally responsive retainingmeans for said closure including a support structure extending from thebody member outwardly beyond the end of the nozzle, a fitting detachablysupported on and embracing the body member and extending transverselyfrom the latter to form a shield for said connecting means, said fittingbeing formed with a socket shaped to conform with and to receive anintermediate portion of said body member between the ends of the nozzle,and a resilient element detachably inserted between the inner end ofsaid thread and the confronting face of the fitting to releasably anchorthe fitting to the frame.

3. In a sprinkler head assembly, a frame comprising a hollow body memberforming a discharge nozzle, means at one end of said nozzle forconnecting the frame in a sprinkler system, a closure for the other endof said nozzle, and thermally responsive retaining means for saidclosure including a support structure extending from the body memberoutwardly beyond the end of the nozzle, a fitting detachably supportedon and embracing the body member and extending transversely from thelatter to form a shield for said connecting means, said fitting beingformed with a socket shaped to conform with and to receive anintermediate portion of said body member between the ends of the nozzle,and the said intermediate portion of the body member being shaped topreclude relative rotation of the fitting and frame about the axis ofthe nozzle, and said fitting being formed for engagement by a wrench forthreading the frame in the said system.

4. In a sprinkler head assembly, a frame comprising a hollow body memberforming a discharge nozzle, means at one end of said nozzle forconnecting the frame in a sprinkler system, a 010- sure for the otherend of said nozzle, and thermally responsive retaining means for saidclosure including a support structure extending from the body memberoutwardly beyond the end of the nozzle,and a fitting detachablysupportedon and embracing the body member and extending transversely from thelatter to form a shield for said connecting means, the face of thefitting which confronts the closure end of the nozzle being concave.

5. In a sprinkler head assembly, a frame comprising a hollow body memberforming a discharge nozzle, means at one end of said nozzle forconnecting the frame in a sprinkler system, a closure for the other endof said nozzle, a thermally responsive retaining means for said closureincluding a support structure extending from the body member outwardlybeyond the end of the nozzle, a fitting detachably supported on andembracing body member and extending transversely from the latter to forma shield for the connecting means, and an annular plate elementdetachably supported on and extending outwardly from the periphery ofsaid fittingsaid element being adjustable on the fitting axially oi thenozzle.

ARTHUR C. ROWLEY.

REFERENCES CI'IED The following references are of record in the

